New service chiefs bring vast experience, strategic depth to Nigeria’s defence architecture
By: Zagazola Makama
Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs bring decades of professional military experience, strategic insight, and operational leadership to the nation’s defence and security architecture. Their diverse backgrounds reflect a balance of field combat expertise, academic excellence, and international exposure, all geared toward strengthening the Armed Forces’ capacity to respond to emerging security challenges.
Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede – Chief of Defence Staff
Lieutenant General Oluyede, born on June 21, 1968, in Ikere-Ekiti, hails from Ekiti State. A member of the 39 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he was commissioned in 1992 into the Infantry Corps and has risen through the ranks to become the 29th Chief of Army Staff before assuming his new role as Chief of Defence Staff.
A graduate of the NDA with a Master’s Degree in Economics, Oluyede is also an alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. He has served in several key command and staff positions, including General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Commander 27 Task Force Brigade, and Sector Commander in Operation Hadin Kai.
The senior officer has participated in major military operations, including ECOMOG, Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta, and several counterterrorism campaigns in the North-East. His leadership has been marked by operational reforms, improved troop welfare, and the acquisition of advanced equipment to bolster national defence.
Oluyede’s command philosophy, “Consolidating the Transformation of the Nigerian Army Towards a Well-Motivated and Combat-Ready Force,” has guided significant reforms in the force. He is a recipient of numerous medals, including the Grand Service Star (GSS), Field Command Medal of Honour (FCMH), and Corps Medal of Honour (CMH).
Major General Waidi Shaibu – Chief of Army Staff
Born on December 18, 1971, in Olamaboro LGA of Kogi State, Major General Shaibu was commissioned in 1994 as an Armour officer. A product of the 41 Regular Course of the NDA, he has served as Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation Hadin Kai.
Shaibu holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and multiple postgraduate and master’s degrees, including in Public Administration, Strategic Studies, and Security and Strategic Studies. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan.
He has attended several professional and military courses at home and abroad, including the Counter Terrorism Fellows Programme in Washington, D.C., and the Defence Resources Management Course in Kenya. His operational experience spans UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sudan, as well as domestic operations such as Lafiya Dole, Desert Sanity, and Hadin Kai.
A recipient of the Distinguished Service Star, Purple Heart Medal, and Field Command Medal of Honour, General Shaibu is widely regarded as a strategic thinker committed to research-driven innovation in military operations.
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas – Chief of Naval Staff
Rear Admiral Abbas, born on September 20, 1969, hails from Kano State and was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 1992. A member of the 40th Regular Course of the NDA, he has had an illustrious career, rising through the ranks to become Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
During his tenure as FOC, he led robust anti-piracy and anti-oil theft operations in the Niger Delta, significantly reducing maritime criminality within his area of responsibility. He has also contributed to policy formulation for inter-agency coordination at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, bringing his wealth of operational knowledge to joint service strategies.
Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke – Chief of Air Staff
Born on February 20, 1972, in Makurdi, Benue State, Air Vice Marshal Aneke hails from Udi LGA of Enugu State. He joined the NDA in 1988 as a member of the 40th Regular Combatant Course and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in 1993.
Aneke holds multiple academic qualifications, including Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physics, International Affairs, and Political Economy. He also possesses an Advanced Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) with over 4,300 flying hours on aircraft such as the Gulfstream V and Falcon 900.
He has held key appointments, including Commander of the 307 Executive Airlift Group, Deputy Commandant of the NDA, and Air Officer Commanding Mobility Command. Aneke has also served in the Democratic Republic of Congo under the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (MONUC).
His operational record includes surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the Niger Delta and counterterrorism air operations in the North-East. He is a graduate of the United States Air War College, where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.
Major General Emmanuel Akomaye Parker Undiandeye – Chief of Defence Intelligence
Major General Undiandeye was born on September 2, 1968, in Bedia, Obudu LGA, Cross River State. A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, he also attended the National Defence University in Washington D.C., and the National Defence College, Abuja.
He has served in several intelligence and command roles, including Director of Psychological Warfare at Defence Headquarters, Chief of Staff at the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, and Director of Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency.
An alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School, Undiandeye is an International Counter Terrorism Fellow and a Fellow of the National Defence College, Nigeria. He has also served in key UN assignments, including the United Nations Mission in Liberia and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
His awards include the Grand Service Star, Defence Meritorious Star, and United Nations Headquarters Medal.
The newly appointed service chiefs are expected to consolidate ongoing military operations, enhance inter-agency cooperation, and strengthen Nigeria’s defence diplomacy and internal security coordination.
